Shoe-lacing hook.



No. 743,627. PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903.

J. W. EDGERTON. V SHOE 'LAGING HOOK.

v APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 29. 1902.

no MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 10, 1903.

JOSEPH W. EDGERTON, OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA.

'SH'OE-LACiNG HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 0. 743,627, dated November 10, 1903. Application filed November 29, 1902. Serial No. 133,262. (No model.)

This invention relates to shoe-lacing hooks.

The object of the invention is to provide a hook of the character specified which in use will permit the lacing to yield, and thus to cause the shoe to be easy and comfortable to the wearer, obviating binding over the instep and lateral cutting of the lacing; furthermore, to provide a shoe-lacing hook in which the lacing-engaging member shall be so disposed with relation to the edge of the fly that when the shoe is laced the draft on the lacinghook under the various movements of the foot in walking will be on a straight line substantially centrally of the device and at right angles to the edges of the fly, thereby obviating any tendency of the lacing to twist the hook, with attending danger of detaching it from the shoe-upper.

A further object is to provide a shoe-lacing hook which shall embody simplicity of construction', efliciency and durability in use,

readiness of manufacture, and ease of attachment to the shoe.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists, genally stated, in a lacing-hook embodying an attaching member and a lacing engaging member or hook, the attaching member being disposed at right angles to the fly, and the lacing-engaging member having its lacereceiving book so disposed that in lacing the shoe the draft upon the lacing will be in approximately a straight line parallel with the edge of the fly, thereby reducing friction be tween the hook and the lacing and permitting" the lacing to be drawn as taut as desired with an output of the minimum of energy.

Theinvention consists,fnrther, in the novel construction and combination of parts of a shoe-lacing hook, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate correspondin g parts, there is illustrated a preferred form ofemhodiment of the invention, together with two modifications thereof, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation exhibiting a portion of the flies of a shoe upper with the lacing hooks secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section through one of the flies, showing the manner in which the lacing-hook is secured thereto. Fig. '3 is a view in front elevation. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing the attachingpron gs bent to position to be inserted through the shoe-upper. Fig. 5 is a View in rear elevation exhibiting the attaching-prongs unbent. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the lacinghook blank. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views showing different ways in which the hook may be secured to the flies.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate a portion of the dies of an ordinary shoeupper, adjacent to the meeting edges of which are secured the lacing-hooks 3, constituting the gist of the present invention. Each hook is by preference made from sheet-metal and comprises a body or head 4, provided with tangs 5 to be passed through the leather of the fly and clenched to hold it in position, a

reduced outer-curved neck 6, and an inwardcurved hook 7,which is approximately volnte in shape and has its upper end disposed in a plane approximately in alinement with the upper side of the head. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the neck is of considerably less width than the head and the hook-forming portion is but slightly greater in widththan the neck, the wide appearance of the hook being due to the fact that in being turned under its point is disposed within the depres; sion 8 formed by the neck, this construction being readily understood by reference to Fig. 6, which is a view of the blank before being bent up. By the disposition of the receiving end of the hook laterally with relation to the neck when the hook is secured to the fly an angular entering-space is formed between the hook and the fly, which will facilitate the insertion of the lacing therebetween. The tangs are disposed parallel with the edges of the flies, and this will bring the heads 4 at right angles thereto, with the lacing-engaging walls of the hooks parallel with the edges of the flies and in a line substantially centrally of the heads and at right angles to the flies. From this construction it will be seen that when lacing the shoe the line of draft upon the lacing will be substantially straight and parallel with the edges of the flies, thus obviating chafing and cutting of thelacing, and that the strain upon the hooks will be in a line substantially centrally of the heads and at right angles to the edges of the flies,whereby twisting of the devices and loosening of the same from the flies is obviated.

Instead of having the tangs disposed at the end of the body, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the same may be stamped out of the head, as shown at 9 in Fig. 7, or, if preferred, the head may be provided with an opening 10 to receive an eyelet or rivet for securing the hook in position.

By reason of the angular disposition of the hook on the flies its under side is caused to bear firmly thereon when the shoe is in use, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2, and by this disposition of the parts should the lacing become loose it will not work out from under the hook.

The lacing-hook of this invention is exceedingly simple in construction, may be readily manufactured, and its application to a shoe will not require any change in the structural arrangement or add an objectionable expense to its manufacture.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- The combination with a shoe-fly,of a lacinghook attached thereto and comprising a head and a lace-engaging member the lace-engaging wall of which is parallel with the edge of the fly and symmetrical with a line at right angles to the latter and substantially centrally of the head, said lace-engaging member having its receiving end disposed laterally of its lace-engaging wall.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH W. EDGERTON.

Witnesses:

L. F. FARNsWoRTH, C. H. STEINMIUR. 

